Saturday, August 29, 2009

Yahoo!: Spears: For Coaches Like Woodson, Waiting Is Hardest Part

"Am I a little disappointed that none of my staff and I were extended contracts this year? You’re damn right I am because we deserve it. We deserve it with what we’ve done this past year. Any other coach probably would have been extended without a doubt. For us not to be extended is not right. But it is what it is. … I still have a job to do."

I don't begrudge the coach his frustration. If his body of work over the course of his first four seasons deserved a second contract then it's hard to make the case that his far more successful 2008-09 campaign, the only truly successful season of his five in Atlanta, doesn't deserve something more than being brought back as a lame duck for 2009-10.

Spears goes on to place Woodson's lame duck status in the context of league-wide reductions in the budgets for head coaches, assistant coaches, and scouting staffs. He also, and presumably unintentionally, raises expectations for the 2009-10 team by overselling the impact of acquiring Jamal Crawford and Joe Smith, ignoring the loss of Flip Murray's 2008-09 production, and hints at another addition to the roster that could sadden fans of Othello Hunter or:

Woodson also knows, extension or not, he will be judged by whether the Hawks improve this season. The Hawks didn’t lose any significant pieces this offseason and strengthened their bench with the additions of Jamal Crawford and Joe Smith. Veteran center Jason Collins also could be joining them soon and Woodson is optimistic rookie point guard Jeff Teague could make an impact this season.